


The deception of power

by Coffeepills



Series: Tis the way of all flesh [3]
Category: Saint Seiya, 聖闘士星矢: 冥王神話 | Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Study, Events retell, Gen, Hades-centric, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Relationship Study, Self-Discovery, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24580864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffeepills/pseuds/Coffeepills
Summary: Pandora's fate and how she came to stand by his side, told by the very lord of the Underworld, Hades. The first part of this two-piece story in the Series. It can be read without the others, or taken as a continuation of those.
Relationships: Hades & Hypnos (Saint Seiya), Hades & Pandora (Saint Seiya), Hades & Thanatos (Saint Seiya), Hypnos & Thanatos (Saint Seiya)
Series: Tis the way of all flesh [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741276
Comments: 13
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of the "Tis the way of all flesh" series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

**L'inganno del potere**

_[The deception of power]_

_._

_._

_._

A fragile looking creature she was. Her hair was long and dark. Her skin pale, even by most human standards.

Generous curves and a supple body made her being. Again, by their standards her body had to be cause for appreciation, love even. Perhaps it explained her cursed fate.

As a result, her mortal shell was indeed pursued in life, but her wits much less so valued. Earth was, by then, still the domain of men. They horded knowledge, selfishly kept it to the male bit of their population. She was different though. She wanted more, and as it turned out, was capable of so much more as well.

Wisdom, the gift only recently given to humankind, was attainable by a number of ways. This female mortal had chosen to seek Athena. Instead, cursed she was, or so said the tale some souls had kept in their memories.

Sometimes, as time went by, the god of the Underworld would peek within the souls of the latest arrivals on his domains.

It allowed him to keep up with the world outside. He wanted to know what kept the world of the living go-round even if he did little to partake in it. However, such venture came with certain limitations, most of which he was used to deal with. This prior knowledge, alas, did little to take away the frustration it caused.

The biggest cause for this continuous happening was that, even if mortals made for most of his ever-growing land residents, they also carried little knowledge of the gods’ endeavours per se.

In another words, most of the departed were not privy in their gods businesses. It did not mean there were no other means to know, but Hades knew just as well, it could ignite war embers that he would rather not bother to deal with.

However, it had been but a while since he got just a little curious about that being. Saying went with Prometheus gifting her to humans against, his older brother, Zeus wishes. Of course, by then women were a normal existence within the humankind, however, not so much one such as her.

As the elder brother, Hades knew its form before mortal men came into existence, for within the Olympians it was seldom frequent but not unheard of. He was proof enough, Hades, his brothers and sisters all came from _Rhea_ , their mother.

It was but a natural course to take, for humans to have a matching paradox of their own.

Now, it stood here, within the _Inferno_. 

The one from up there that had sought him in life just to meet him in death. The harbinger of confusion within the human realm. The cause of one too many conflicts and junctions within men’s hearts.

For she was as much of a blessing as she was a curse. One that was oddly fitting he thought his interest picked.

Hades was uncharacteristically pleased. His lips quirked the faintest bit. It had been a while, a way too long while, since he felt the smallest need to explore, to let his curiosity be sated in any way or form.

Her uniqueness was but the point of the iceberg. No wonder Athena had felt insulted.

She was intelligent, gifted he would say for a human. It rivalled, challenged even, Athena’s by-passed wisdom to men. She had wits but most of all, she knew how to use them to her advantage.

That was how a mortal woman became the bane of her holy wisdom. In retaliation, the goddess she prayed to shoved her to men, wolves that falsely sought her shrewdness but mostly wanted power for their own benefit. 

In the aftermath, there was only one thing she wanted. Her one lingering hope she kept was to meet him, Hades.

She had the galls to dedicate him prayers. Too few mortals did that; afraid it shuffled their life from them far too early. Yet she had done so, quite fervently too.

Should he had to voice it; most of her appeal came from that sole fact. Hoping against all rationality that she could summon him to Earth.

This thing with such wishes is that even the god of the Underworld could find it amusing enough to indulge them.

.

.

.

Funny things to do, pray for him, beg even. Humans where still baffling beings when they stick to a self-imposed purpose. He shrugged once he took notice of her prayers, anew. It was still sometime before her death. He silently wondered if Thanatos would indulge without a bleep to saw her soul. 

Conscious enough that shrugging out of nowhere could raise his advisors attention, Hades dusted off non-existent filth on his forearm as he did, only to his amusement at Thanatos’ half-interested face; focused as he was on setting up the small table and the pieces of the chessboard. 

At that time, he was in the Elysion; leisurely partaking in that game the twins were so fond of wasting time on, _chess_. Hypnos had drifted of somewhere to the realm of dreams, something about a distortion he had to check up and correct.

“You mean someone is causing a disruption in _your_ Morphia?” Snickered Thanatos much to his twin displeasure. The chessboard has been setup and both Thanatos and Hades were two rounds into the game.

Hypnos’ blank bored face remained in place but the twitch of an eyebrow did not escape the other gods. So much of a glitch in the realm of dream was not something he tolerated, as his control addicted nature mandated. Thanatos knew that, Hades did to; furthermore, he counted on it.

“Do not go assuming such a thing, brother. No one but Hades-sama could achieve a likewise occurrence.” He paused diverting his gaze from his brother to his lord. “However, an unusually big enough cosmic disturbance could be the cause.” He paused to better articulate his thought.

“Hades-sama, giving the revival of Athena is closing in; I will ensure preparations are undertaken as due.” The simple nod from the god of the Underworld, as he moved his Queen over the board, sufficed for Hypnos to be on his way.

However, he could do little afterward to ease the corner of his lips, upturned as they were. Thanatos’ face as confusion vanished from his face, replaced then by his earlier smugness was well worth his lack of composure. That, and the fact he had defeated him in two moves no less.

“My brother just went on a wild chase, has he not?” His chuckle died in his throat as soon as his eyes landed back on the board.

“Well done Hades-sama, well done indeed.” A movement from his index later, and his King was lying on his side across the board.

Hades rose from his seat then, bidding a simple farewell gesture to the remaining twin.

“When your brother returns, you may both join me in _Judecca_. But not before that.” Dark wings elongated from his back and a blink of Thanatos' eyes later, off he was back to his palace. The god of Death remained rooted in place, between amusement and perplexity.

His lord had played them both.

His curiosity picked, he only had to wait for his brother’s return.

.

.

.

_TBC_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pandora is perhaps the most challenging character yet I have come across to write about. Furthermore from Hades point of view since I have some issues trying to reconcile her canon self with her SS:TLC version, which I like the most to be honest. Since this series direction is heading towards The Lost Canvas first, I think this two-piece will somewhat provide an explanation to her presence beside Hades. Which also has little to do at all with the myth. Anyway, I hope to deliver an interesting twist there :)
> 
> The lame chess move depicted can be seen performed here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARxu5PIT-P4 
> 
> In case you are wondering, the Hades with wings imagery is inspired by the game Saint Seiya Awakening: Knights of the Zodiac. Here's a pic of al alternative aspect available on the app: http://www.rainawhile.net/ao3/hades_wings.jpg (LoL I want it, I only have Hades in his sapuri-mode.)
> 
> As for the title, it is inspired by the song "I can’t be cool" sung by Ilaria Graziano, from the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Lyrics can be found here. https://www.animelyrics.com/anime/ghostshell/cantbecool.htm


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II** _  
_

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.

.

Hades sat on his throne in _Judecca_ and only a moment later, his guest arrived, summoned from the world of the living. He could not materialize up there in the flesh, neither would he ever for a simple mortal soul. However, to bring it down here was feasible, even if her heart was still beating.

Just so he could better appreciate her, Hades had given her soul a temporary lookalike mortal form. He wanted to assess her, test her. This harbinger of evil, this dark priestess, who spread the word on behalf of his kingdom, although unprompted. To be honest, when he first took notice he thought it might be a dare game that had been put into motion.

What a strange thing to entertain oneself with; dedicate one’s time and efforts even.

Alas, as he was familiar with, once in millennia humans did things worthy of notice. Albeit it was seldom in their best interest, as the latest war with Athena suggested. His little interest in humankind had taken a turn for distaste afterwards. Its bitterness still stung.

Hades had not foreseen he would be on the losing end, much less did he foresee getting hurt in the process. Hypnos and Thanatos still raged about it from time to time, two centuries did little to appease an immortal after all. 

However, against all odds she stood before him now, in the lifeless hall of his palace. A mortal, a human, a woman. It seemed the joke was on him.

Sapuris lined the sides of his hall, the three he most favoured placed on the front line between them. He had to concede it to her; she did not look intimated. Albeit her stance guarded in the face of their daunting shapes, all fangs and claws, she managed to keep her cool. She was strong like that.

They had yet to exchange a single word; still, she did not appear repentant nor resentful. However, she seemed to know intrinsically who he was. What he stood for. What she had prayed for so long and had finally came to be.

He had replied in kind. She now faced Hades in the flesh, in the deepest confines of his lands, whilst still -technically- alive. A feat unheard of for a mere mortal.

She was about to know what awaited her after whatever was this ended. She knew and still, she let him examine her at his leisure. His face painted it plainly, that none of her gifts would help her sway him to her advantage. Yet there was a glimpse of restrained defiance and wonder in her stance. Admiration perhaps, he caught himself wondering.

It was the latter, she confessed, as she spoke of the first time. Being allowed in his presence at all, was the sign she had long awaited.

The former he already knew by peeking in her soul, she strived for power to gain freedom _form_ men, _for_ men, both and none the same. It was a difficult assessment to make.

It seemed as if she had not come up with a definite resolution in her lifetime. He wanted to know if she ever would, even from the afterlife if he so allowed her the option of life in the afterlife.

Used to and familiarized to attend high-ranking men, as she professed herself a priestess, she avoided brusque movements, kept a humble enough posture and spoke in respectful forwardness. 

“I can only hope to satisfy you, Hades-sama.” Her voice broke the, up to then, renewed silence. Hades had equipped her corporeal form with the equivalent of her living senses, albeit she lacked any cosmos to sustain it further within the Meikai. Not that she would require it at this point.

The empty shells of the sapuris emitted a low, almost unperceivable ‘ _hum’_. Their polished surfaces glistening as a thousand pieces of the darkest starry night. They resonated to his cosmos, just as much as it did his mood. Consciously or not.

Hades had wondered for some time now, the possibilities of the future ahead. If they had an actual soul to accompany them, he knew they would bring a renewed semblance of sense to his domains. Not life, never life itself. For, it was not what he sought nor longed for.

Nevertheless, he had been right. Pandora, for that was her name, could prove useful.

“Your prayers, your wishes, your longings. Tell me know, which truth do they hold.” He only had to allow her the chance to come to him. Embrace the Underworld, and make his goals her owns.

She stood proud now as confidence laced her words. They sounded practised but did ring true. She spoke with vehemence and a lingering pint of bitterness. Hades thought they resonated too close home to bring the comfort he had unconsciously been looking for.

“My Lord, men are roaming the Earth day after day forgetting the gods above their heads and below their feet; what lays beyond their mortal existence. They have fallen prey to Athena’s corrupted gift. Wisdom she called it. False hope I denounced. They have grown wings of wax, attempting time and time again to surpass the sun and the moon.”

A _kindred_ soul, who would have thought? The ruler of the Meikai found such in a mortal woman no less. A simple nod from him and she kept on. He awaited captivated now, albeit begrudgingly. The twins will be here soon. He wanted to make his decision known to them by then.

“Humankind, men, have forgotten the one true gift from their gods, to live; and sullied yours, to rest at peace and to reborn. In doing so, they continue to commit treachery life after life. They have chosen to see evil in your ways. That alone is worthy of reckoning from the god of the Underworld himself.” She braved her position, chanced a lock of her eyes on his. The last time such a thing occurred, was in that damn war, when a winged saint of Athena had dared as much. 

“What you say may be true; not like I ought to justify my ways for they are my own.” His face placid and voice even, he paused for additional effect as she stood there expectantly. “However, you also carry a goal of your own.” She balled her fingers at that, the other hand catching her wrist to stop the tremble. It sufficed to confirm he stroked a nerve. “A strong drive for humans like yourself, revenge.”

“Yes, it is true Hades-sama. I am but a simple human after all, and soon I will be yet another soul, as many before me, within the confines of your land; fated with endless torment in the plains of _Cocytus_. For as per your law, I have sinned.”

At this point, the unresolved nature of her conflict was as much of a risk as an opportunity. He could allow a change of strategy; his sapuris would have a sense to their existence as much as they would safeguard the soul they saw fit.

He saw it now, the way they raised complete as meant to be, an extension to do his bidding under her watchful eye.

His advisors were finally on their way. A slight space-time distortion later which gave away to their presence as they stepped within the _Inferno_. They arrived in all their godly armours glory, revealed in full view, no doubt sensing a soul in his halls.

Hypnos was slightly ruffled albeit it was hardly noticeable behind his usual blank face. No doubt, he would give him something akin to a cold shoulder for some time as payback for the disturbances caused in his playroom, _Morphia_. 

It held the promise to be most gratifying and equally excruciatingly grating on both parties. Thanatos, however, would not doubt have his fill teasing his twin to no end, only to cause the upmost mortification in his brother for his behaviour towards Hades.

For now, the twins bowed their heads behind his throne; placing themselves on each side of it. As they raised their head, their eyes focused for the first time in millennia to come, on the corporeal form before the sapuris. She was intimidated more so now in the presence of three deities. As none of the latest arrivals appeared welcoming of her presence, mostly the blond one as she quickly assessed.

“Satisfy me you will woman. Serve the Meikai; lead the one hundred and eight stars born under this Underworld sky. Lead them well in the upcoming war, and eternal life will be bestowed upon you.” He felt more than saw the twins exchanging quick uncomfortable glances between them.

However, before any of them could voice their thoughts or objections, she bowed and then kneeled low onto the ground. She had taught herself no to so before men, this time she gladly obliged on her own free will.

“Thank you, Hades-sama. I will.” At her words, Thanatos took a step ahead; he stood next to him now, lips thin and frown formed between his dark brows. He refrained from taking further action though, unsure on what had prompted this unusual setting.

Hades was not prone to be impulsive. He had recently awoken, a collateral damage caused by the war against Athena still fresh on their mind. As his advisor and resident of his lands, he had to wait until Hades shared his thoughts. He usually did, at his own pace; and they would be there, he and Hypnos to provide counsel. 

Whilst Thanatos refrained himself, Hypos silently crossed the distance from Hades’ throne to Pandora, sight unwavering as he studied her from head to toe. His cold dislike only became more apparent as he closed in.

His approaching form made her tilting upward, her dark eyes locked onto his golden irises. They flickered, as did his cosmos, before he reigned it in once he noticed her corporeal form lacked any. A lashing fluctuation would wipe her off this realm; he did not want to infuriate Hades before he let them within his confidence. 

He stopped only a step away from her. Their sheer height difference made him imposing, his shadow casted across her face sucked off the soft light of the room. Although the great sense of power imbalance still made her corporeal form falter, she grounded herself the best she could as he refrained a ‘ _tsk_ ’ from leaving his palate. This was a mere mortal, a woman brought by Hades. He failed to understand.

Hypnos still did not grasp the meaning behind Hades’ intentions, although his mind was already spinning with its implications.

She would be-. No. She _was_ the first of many to come.

It was a time of change, and the winds of war would soon resume their merciless howling.

Pandora had awaited this very moment, tired of her human counterparts nonsense and lack of vision.

She suffered the stigma attached to her name, albeit it did little to stop men pursuing her in the vain hopeless aim to fool death itself.

They often mistook her amassed knowledge and warnings of the afterlife as, either foretelling taken as a way to avoid or, worst, pay for it in riches. Furthermore, they made her responsible for curses she allegedly enjoyed casting on people. Mostly Athena’s headstrong followers seemed to choose the latest, for she had fallen from her graces.

In the end, she was as feared as sought out. Living in such a manner had left little room for anything else but reach out for the Underworld.

Turned out, Hades was all that she had thought he would be and more. Most of all, she was given a choice. She had seen him and his power with her own eyes. Had looked into his eyes, basked into their calmness.

Her choice made, she gave her word. Pledged herself to him. 

She would follow him to the end of the Earth and beyond, to the land of the dead. Perhaps, even further, where no mortal has stepped to before. Anything for this man, the ruler of the Meikai, her one true god. 

“Once you have departed from the living, Thanatos will bring you here.” A side glace at the god of Death and his fearsome gaze on her sufficed to tell him apart from his twin.

Hades remained in his seat, confident the twins would behave. It was fun to assess her reactions though. Her steel soul was something she would forever need if she were to assume control of his burgeoning army.

Poise and an unbending will to manage his one hundred and eight stars, but mostly to not cower in fright at the very sight of the twins of Death and Dreams. Albeit, his advisors exuded bafflement toward his latest actions, he had expected that much. However, their dislike over their visitor, soon to be resident, was also apparent enough. Time would tell if it worked out.

Once again, the corner of his lips upturned. He did little to force them down.

“This will facilitate your tasks.” Was all he said as Hypnos introduced her to the commanding trident that signed off her newly acquired position.

.

.

.

It was shortly afterwards that Pandora’ soul returned to Earth.

The twins were over their initial shock. All three of them still in the great hall of his _Judecca_ palace. Hypnos stood on the spot Pandora had occupied up to moments before. He eyes focused on his now memory of her, still assessing what he had witnessed.

His mind reeled, going back to the end of the first war. His lord hurt, Hades put to sleep. His awakening, the coming of the one hundred and height stars. After that, he had taken precautions to ensure Athena remaining off the Meikai. Thanatos surveyed more diligently the souls of her saints, closer as they were to finally reborn. At some point, they had to discuss this matter with Hades.

He thought back at Hades seemingly focusing on a lingering thought for hours at a time, reaching out with his cosmos toward the land of the living with little success. Hypnos still did not know what to make out of this compulsion.

What they did know was that yet another war awaited further down the road. Hades, as did they, wanted to rage it amongst the land above their heads. Only an option remained then.

“Hades-sama, shall we presume that this woman will stand by you for as long as you allow?” His stance was half-turned towards Hades; as if still unsure, his thoughts were correct at all.

“Yes, she has given her word, signed her soul off, as I am sure you heard. Both of you.” His voice was as calm as usual, if not more. It held an equal sense of satisfaction and contempt. Nevertheless, it came off resolute.

“Of course, Hades-sama. However, I am unsure she realized what has truly transpired here. The ripples it will cause.” He did not need voice the switch in power it would soon rise.

He turned fully facing the god of the Underworld. He was still comfortably seating on his throne, Thanatos now visibly calmer as their exchange clarified some of his lingering questions. 

“Oh yes, but what would be the fun if she did?” came the reply, amused this time. As if, he half-heartedly chided a small child instead of another deity, even if a lesser ranked one. Or two, as it included his twin.

A chuckle made its way in his throat as soon as his gaze landed back on his lord. Golden eyes locked with deep azure. “Well done Hades-sama, well done indeed.” Unknowingly replicating his twin words much to Hades’ ongoing amusement.

These two were too alike for their own sake.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pandora is definitely the most challenging character I have had the chance to write about. I decided to take a risk here, as I am sure not everyone will be agreeable to my take on her character or “origin” story; but it is quite hard to make her SS canon self somewhat reconcile with SS:TLC, so basically I went with a step stone towards that but kept it somewhat ambiguous on all the parts involved. The speech pattern is, I hope, not too awkward. I tried to convey their diffence in status and the fact that it is like, the myth era Greece... ups!  
> In addition, I put some emphasis on the way some souls are reborn and some are not, it is something I am working on for the next fics in the series, no promises though.
> 
> Edit: Fixed minor things here and there after posting -helped the overall word count too- :)


End file.
